


A Visit to Rosings Park

by DesertVixen



Category: AUSTEN Jane - Works, Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-09
Updated: 2016-05-09
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:18:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6799786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DesertVixen/pseuds/DesertVixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Darcys pay a visit to Rosings Park.</p>
<p> Set approximately four years after the end of Pride and Prejudice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Visit to Rosings Park

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maidenjedi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maidenjedi/gifts).



Elizabeth Darcy viewed the upcoming trip to Rosings Park with mixed feelings. On the one hand, she longed to see her dear friend, Charlotte Collins. They had maintained a steady exchange of letters concerning their married lives, but Charlotte had not been able to leave her home in Kent. It had been almost four years since they had last seen each other, on Elizabeth’s very memorable first visit to Rosings.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh – Darcy’s aunt and the patroness of Charlotte’s husband - had finally swallowed her resentment at her nephew’s choice of bride. Not only had that lady condescended to visit Pemberly, but she had also invited them to join the spring party at Rosings Park. To Elizabeth, that invitation represented the healing of the breach between aunt and nephew. She had seen Elizabeth in her role as mistress of Pemberly and managed to refrain from making too many judgmental remarks, but no one had been sad that it was a short visit.

This trip to Rosings Park was also their first long trip with their young son, George, now two years old. The pace had been slower than Elizabeth liked, and she envied her husband and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, the opportunity to ride outside the coach. At least she had Georgiana in the coach to bear her company, along with George’s nursemaid. They would arrive at Rosings Park this afternoon, and Elizabeth had to admit that she would even be glad to see Lady Catherine.

*** ***

The bedchamber she had been given was quite lovely, Elizabeth reflected as she leaned back in the tub of hot water. The nursemaid had borne their son off to the nursery, and Elizabeth was honest enough to admit that she was glad to relax in silence, luxuriating in lavender-scented hot water, and to not be in the coach any longer. Darcy’s vehicles were all well-sprung, but even they became cramped and uncomfortable after too long. Tomorrow, she planned a long walk that would take her to see Charlotte.

The door to the adjoining chamber opened, and her husband walked in, clad in his dressing gown. Elizabeth smiled at him as she sank back down in the tub.

“Should I leave you in peace?” He smiled down at her.

She smiled back. “There’s no need for you to leave.”

“In that case…” He knelt down next to the tub, capturing her face in his hands for a kiss. “Perhaps you need some assistance?”

“Oh, yes,” Elizabeth breathed out as his hand stroked her neck, her shoulder, and dipped lower. “I should like that above all things.”

*** ***

It was a very clean and very relaxed Elizabeth and Darcy who entered the sitting room that evening. 

She had taken particular care with her appearance, choosing a dark blue dinner dress trimmed with rich lace. Like any woman, she liked to look her best, especially when she had to deal with someone who could be very judgmental. Darcy, as usual, looked rather severe and imposing in his evening attire. Elizabeth knew how privileged she was to be one of the few people permitted to see the true Darcy.

Georgiana seemed to be anxiously waiting for them. Although Darcy’s younger sister had grown in confidence and social ease, especially after enjoying two Seasons’ worth of town bronze, Lady Catherine still made her nervous. 

Anne de Bourgh and her companion, Mrs. Jenkinson, sat together, both looking pinched and disapproving. Once Elizabeth had been amused to find Anne de Bourgh a pale, thin, sickly, and cross girl – in her prejudice against a proud man, she had thought her quite a good match for the disagreeable Mr. Darcy. Now, Elizabeth could not see the woman – for she was a woman, the same age as Darcy – without feeling pity for her. Anne was not ugly, but the clothes she wore were not flattering. If only there was some way that she and Darcy could take an interest in her, Elizabeth mused. She owned that she would like to see Anne outside her mother’s orbit, but it was not likely to happen. 

Colonel Fitzwilliam was the last of the party to enter the sitting room. Elizabeth had met all of the Fitzwilliam siblings and found them to be wonderful company. However, it had not escaped her notice that the colonel seemed to be the only member of his family who came to Rosings Park, and Elizabeth had occasionally wondered why this was so. She knew he needed to marry a woman with wealth, just as much as she and her sisters had needed to marry men of good fortune, but she could not imagine him marrying Anne. She saw no reason why Lady Catherine should stand against such a marriage, especially since Darcy was no longer available, but she just couldn’t see the outgoing, engaging man she enjoyed spending time with as a permanent inmate at Rosings Park and its very small circle.

Elizabeth also suspected that Georgiana – another young lady of good fortune – harbored a _tendre_ for the handsome officer, but she could not see that match coming off either. He was still one of her trustees until she came of age. Such a move would expose all of them to gossip, and Colonel Fitzwilliam was one of the few who knew how much Darcy dreaded that in Georgiana’s case.

The word was given to go into dinner, and Elizabeth steeled herself for a long evening.

*** ***

The next morning, Elizabeth was happy to escape the stifling grandeur of Rosings Park and make her way to Charlotte’s home. The nursemaid accompanied her with George, and Elizabeth suspected that she was also grateful to escape – the staff at Rosings seemed to be mainly composed of older people who looked down their noses at younger visitors. Darcy and Fitzwilliam were closeted with Lady Catherine discussing some estate manners, but Elizabeth suspected they would be out riding on the estate as soon as they could get away. 

It was a beautiful spring morning, and it seemed to Elizabeth they had only been walking for a few minutes when they reached the Collins home. The garden out front was a masterpiece full of spring blooms, and Elizabeth reflected that whatever flaws her cousin had, he certainly had a green thumb. He was out in the garden, and gave a cheerful wave as they approached.

“Cousin Elizabeth!” He waved at her. “My dear Charlotte is inside. She has been most anxiously awaiting your arrival.”

Inside the house, Elizabeth became aware that Charlotte’s intent to keep Mr. Collins busy in his garden as much as possible had not been entirely successful. They had two children now, and unless   
Elizabeth missed her guess, her friend was increasing again. Their son William – “young Will,” Charlotte called him – was a sturdy four-year-old. His sister Frances was two years younger, a sweet-looking girl who seemed quite excited to have a new playmate in George. After a few minutes of admiring their children, they were settled in the nursery under the watchful eye of Elizabeth’s nursemaid.  
Charlotte arranged to have tea brought into the sitting room, where they had an excellent view of the garden (and Mr. Collins). 

“I confess it is delightful to sit down and not worry about the children,” Charlotte said after a moment. “It is so good to see you, Elizabeth.”

“It is good to see you,” Elizabeth replied. “I presume you will be dining at Rosings with us soon?”

“I’m sure we will,” Charlotte said. “How is your visit going so far?”

“It’s quite different than calling at Rosings when I was visiting you,” Elizabeth said after a moment. “Everyone is very polite.”

Their talk moved on to the people they had in common from Meryton, exchanging bits of gossip from various letters. It was lovely to have a nice comfortable visit with her friend, to share stories and just talk. Charlotte did not seem to have changed greatly. Time had added a little roundness to her face and figure, but it was quite becoming on her. There was also the glow of happiness about her, the contentment of being mistress of her own household. Elizabeth still found it hard to believe that her friend could be happy with a man like William Collins, but she clearly was. 

On the walk back to Rosings, Elizabeth mused on how everything had worked out. The idea of a life spent with Mr. Collins, being forced to be under Lady Catherine’s oh-so-concerned and watchful eyes, here in this corner of Kent, more than fifty miles from her own people, was enough to give Elizabeth nightmares. It was true that living in Derbyshire meant she did not see her mother and younger sisters frequently, but this was not always a hardship. That, and she was the mistress of Pemberly. It was not merely the luxury of the house, but that fact that she lived there with the man she loved more than anything. 

*** *** 

There was also a great deal to be said for not living under Lady Catherine’s eyes, Elizabeth reflected that night as she and Darcy mounted the stairs to their bedchambers after another tedious evening of dinner and quiet conversation. She and Colonel Fitzwilliam did their best, but there was only so much that two people could do. Georgiana had played the piano for the group, but Elizabeth noticed that she did not perform as well as she normally did at Pemberly. Lady Catherine exerted a rather chilling influence on Georgiana, while she had quite the opposite effect on Elizabeth, who could rarely resist rising to a challenge. Darcy was generally not a talkative man in social situations, and the atmosphere at Rosings Park was not an encouragement to change that.

“How did your discussion with your aunt go this morning?” Elizabeth asked as they sat in her bedchamber after undressing. It was so pleasant to sit on the small chaise longue while he sprawled on the floor at her feet, so pleasant to finally be alone.

“It went well, except for Fitzwilliam’s attempt to convince her to bring Anne to London. My aunt does not seem to realize that Anne has little chance of attracting a suitor here, especially when there are never any parties at Rosings.”

“Perhaps her intent is ensure Anne stays here,” Elizabeth offered. “Surely when she thought that you would marry Anne, she must have realized that you would not live here.”

“Perhaps. She spends so little time in Anne’s company that I cannot see why she cares if Anne were to travel. Or Lady Catherine could come to London with her.” Darcy leaned his head back, and Elizabeth tangled her fingers in his hair, gently stroking his scalp.

“Ah, but then she could not lord the greatness of Rosings Park over everyone,” Elizabeth said with a wry smile.

“Perhaps,” he agreed. “I just wish we could do something for Anne. I do not love her, but I have no wish to see her waste her entire life away here. Especially since her companion is so much older than she is.”

Elizabeth agreed. She fancied that Mrs. Jenkinson had once been Anne’s nurse, but the woman was completely beaten down after years of life with Lady Catherine de Bourgh.

“What about Colonel Fitzwilliam’s father? Can he not do something?”

“He has tried,” Darcy said shortly. “It made for a rather uncomfortable scene, which ended in my aunt declaring that Anne had become too ill to even consider a change of scenery.”

He stood abruptly, and Elizabeth realized that he had decided it was time for the conversation to end. 

She rose as well, and impulsively threw her arms around his neck. “It occurs to me that I have not seen how your bedchamber is decorated.”

His arms went around her. “I think we must change that,” he said softly, as he bent his head to give her a kiss that left her breathless.

“Please lead the way,” Elizabeth said with a smile.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this!
> 
> In the novel, it says that while Lady Catherine wrote a rather nasty letter to Darcy about how the shades of Pemberly would be polluted by his marriage to Elizabeth, she did eventually thaw out. I figure this would be the next step.
> 
> As ever, when I write P&P, I always picture everyone as they are in the 1995 miniseries, and there are several references to it.


End file.
